UNITED could enjoy a Champions League spin-off if Chelsea's Premiership stranglehold continues.

Jose Mourinho's 100 per centers are storming away at the head of the league table and if that form continues the title could be effectively won by early spring.

The Reds won't give up the ghost yet but if Chelsea are virtually past the winning post by the time the Euro knockouts begin then United may pick up a glittering compensation prize.

United were dumped out of the Champions League in the last 16 by AC Milan last February when the Reds still had a realistic chance of challenging Chelsea.

And 12 months before when Porto KO'd Sir Alex Ferguson's side at the same stage, United were still chasing Arsenal for the English crown.

Fergie believes the contenders for the Big Three domestic titles in Europe in Italy, Spain and England are likely to suffer in the Champions League as a result.

Ferguson discussed the subject at a recent UEFA coaches seminar after outsiders Porto and Liverpool scooped the Champions League in 2004 and 2005.

Challenge

"I thought after AC Milan beat us last season that they were nailed on to win the trophy. They had a great chance," says Fergie.

"But you saw what happened to their challenge, it started to falter because of involvement in their title race and the Champions League. They lost the league in the last three weeks and then lost the European Cup final.

"It is an indication that it is hard for teams like that to continue winning the league and European Cup in the same season.

"When you see Liverpool win it, who had a less demanding domestic programme in terms of chasing the league in England, I am wondering if the teams who are fresher have a better chance."

Since United's treble year in 1999 that saw them win both the Champions League and the Premiership no side from Serie A, La Liga or the Premier League have done the European and domestic double.

Real Madrid in 2000 and 2003 won the European Cup but lost out on the La Liga title and Milan won the Champions League in 2003 but failed in the battle for Serie A.

Only Bayern Munich and Porto from less demanding domestic championships have won both since United's success six years ago.

But that Euro and League double is not totally unachievable.

"I don't think it is impossible," the United manager insists. You can't say it is impossible because anything is possible on a football field.

"But the evidence of the last two years leaves me wondering if the fresher teams have the better chance."

Sticking

That late season vitality is key to success in Europe considering that Ferguson is sticking by his belief that the quality of the Champions League is such that it has leap-frogged the World Cup as the best football competition on the planet.

"All the best players in the world are now playing in European football. The Champions League is a bigger tournament than the World Cup now. It is a fantastic tournament," he says.

"When you take four teams from countries like Italy, Spain and England it is unbelievable. When it was just the champions who qualified it might be that you played Real Madrid. But now you can play Real, Barcelona, Inter, AC and Juventus all in the one season. It is fantastic!

"As for the World Cup in terms of entertainment the last good World Cup for entertainment and excitement was 1986.

"There have been disappointing World Cups since then. It is a long time ago but in the Champions League there have been some fantastic games and some unusual results.

"That's what leads me to think this is the tournament now."

United still have a few hundred tickets available on open sale at the Old Trafford ticket office for tonight's game.